Nanotechnology generally involves technological developments at the nanometer scale (e.g., 0.1-100 nm). The term “nanotechnology” refers to the manipulation of matter on the scale of the nano-meter (one billionth of a meter). The goal of nanotechnology is to control individual atoms and molecules to create computer chips and other devices that are thousands of times smaller than current technologies permit, or to utilize the molecular properties in more intelligent ways. Beyond being used in computers and communication devices, nanotechnology could be used to build devices, change the properties of materials and make advances in biotechnology.
One example of a nanotechnology-based device/system is the Knowm™ network or system, which is described in a U.S. patent and a number of U.S patent publications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,216, entitled “Physical Neural Network Design Incorporating Nanotechnology,” which issued to Alex Nugent on May 3, 2005 generally describes a physical neural network based on nanotechnology, including methods thereof. Such a physical neural network, which can be referred to as a Knowm™ network generally includes one or more neuron-like nodes, which are formed from a plurality of interconnected nanoconnections formed from nanoconductors. Such connections constitute Knowm™ connections. Each neuron-like node sums one or more input signals and generates one or more output signals based on a threshold associated with the input signal.
The Knowm™ device physical neural network also includes a connection network formed from the interconnected nanoconnections, such that the interconnected nanoconnections used thereof by one or more of the neuron-like nodes are strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field, variations in frequency, and so forth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,216 is incorporated herein by reference.
Another example of a Knowm™ network or system is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760, entitled “Multi-layer Training in a Physical Neural Network Formed Utilizing Nanotechnology,” by inventor Alex Nugent, which was published on Dec. 25, 2003. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760 generally describes methods and systems for training at least one connection network located between neuron layers within a multi-layer physical neural network (e.g., a Knowm™ network or device). The multi-layer physical neural network described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760 can be formed with a plurality of inputs and a plurality outputs thereof, wherein the multi-layer physical neural network comprises a plurality of layers therein, such that each layer thereof comprises at least one connection network and at least one associated neuron.
Thereafter, a training wave, as further described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760, can be initiated across one or more connection networks associated with an initial layer of the multi-layer physical neural network which propagates thereafter through succeeding connection networks of succeeding layers of the multi-layer physical neural network by successively closing and opening at least one switch associated with each layer of the multi-layer physical neural network. At least one feedback signal thereof can be automatically provided to each preceding connection network associated with each preceding layer thereof to strengthen or weaken nanoconnections associated with each connection network of the multi-layer physical neural network. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030236760 is incorporated herein by reference.
A further example of a Knowm™ network or system is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040039717, entitled High-density synapse chip using nanoparticles” by inventor Alex Nugent. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040039717 published on Feb. 26, 2004 and generally describes a physical neural network synapse chip (i.e., a Knowm™ chip) and a method for forming such a synapse chip. The synapse or Knowm™ chip can be configured to include an input layer comprising a plurality of input electrodes and an output layer comprising a plurality of output electrodes, such that the output electrodes are located perpendicular to the input electrodes. A gap is generally formed between the input layer and the output layer.
A solution can then be provided which is prepared from a plurality of nanoconductors and a dielectric solvent. The solution is located within the gap, such that an electric field is applied across the gap from the input layer to the output layer to form nanoconnections of a physical neural network implemented by the synapse chip. Such a gap can thus be configured as an electrode gap. The input electrodes can be configured as an array of input electrodes, while the output electrodes can be configured as an array of output electrodes. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040039717 is also incorporated herein by reference.
A further example of a Knowm™ network or system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426, entitled “Physical Neural Network Liquid State Machine Utilizing Nanotechnology,” by inventor Alex Nugent, which was published on Aug. 5, 2004. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426 generally discloses a physical neural network (i.e., a Knowm™ network), which functions as a liquid state machine.
The physical neural network described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426 can be configured from molecular connections located within a dielectric solvent between pre-synaptic and post-synaptic electrodes thereof, such that the molecular connections are strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field or a frequency thereof to provide physical neural network connections thereof. A supervised learning mechanism is associated with the liquid state machine, whereby connections strengths of the molecular connections are determined by pre-synaptic and post-synaptic activity respectively associated with the pre-synaptic and post-synaptic electrodes, wherein the liquid state machine comprises a dynamic fading memory mechanism. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040153426 is also incorporated herein by reference.
A further example of a Knowm™ network or system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796, entitled “Application of Hebbian and anti-Hebbian Learning to Nanotechnology-based Physical Neural Networks” by inventor Alex Nugent, which published on Aug. 19, 2004. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796 generally discloses a physical neural network (i.e., Knowm™ network) configured utilizing nanotechnology. The Knowm™ network disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796 includes a plurality of molecular conductors (e.g., nanoconductors) which form neural connections between pre-synaptic and post-synaptic components of the physical neural network.
Additionally, a learning mechanism can be applied, which implements Hebbian and anti-hebbian learning via the physical neural network. Such a learning mechanism can utilize a voltage gradient or voltage gradient dependencies to implement Hebbian and/or anti-Hebbian (AHAH) plasticity within the physical neural network. The learning mechanism can also utilize pre-synaptic and post-synaptic frequencies to provide Hebbian and/or anti-Hebbian learning within the physical neural network. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040162796 is incorporated herein by reference.
An additional example of a Knowm™ network or device is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558, entitled “Adaptive Neural Network Utilizing Nanotechnology-based Components” by Alex Nugent, which published on Sep. 30, 2004. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558 generally describes methods and systems for modifying at least one synapse of a physical neural network (i.e., a Knowm™ network). The physical neural or Knowm™ network described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558 can be implemented as an adaptive neural network, which includes one or more neurons and one or more synapses thereof.
The neurons and synapses are formed from a plurality of nanoparticles disposed within a dielectric solution in association with one or more pre-synaptic electrodes and one or more post-synaptic electrodes and an applied electric field. At least one pulse can be generated from one or more of the neurons to one or more of the pre-synaptic electrodes of a succeeding neuron and one or more post-synaptic electrodes of one or more of the neurons of the physical neural network, thereby strengthening at least one nanoparticle of a plurality of nanoparticles disposed within the dielectric solution and at least one synapse thereof. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040193558 is incorporated herein by reference.
Another example of a Knowm™ network or device is disclosed U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050015351, entitled “Nanotechnology Neural Network Methods and Systems” by inventor Alex Nugent, which published on Jan. 20, 2005. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050015351 generally discloses a physical neural network (i.e., a Knowm™ network), which constitutes a connection network comprising a plurality of molecular conducting connections suspended within a connection gap formed between one or more input electrodes and one or more output electrodes. One or more molecular connections of the molecular conducting connections can be strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field, frequency, and the like across the connection gap.
Thus, a plurality of physical neurons can be formed from the molecular conducting connections of the connection network. Additionally, a gate can be located adjacent the connection gap and which comes into contact with the connection network. The gate can be connected to logic circuitry which can activate or deactivate individual physical neurons among the plurality of physical neurons. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050015351 is incorporated herein by reference. Based on the foregoing it can be appreciated that a Knowm™ connection(s), which forms the heart of a Knowm™ network can be thought of as constituting an electro-kinetic induced particle chain.
As transistor densities on modern integrated electronic chips increase, there is a growing trend toward reconfigurable architectures. Rather than implementing application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), it is preferred that a design be deployed on programmable logic devices. The move in such a direction is creating a growing trend toward an IP-based development process, where circuits are defined by their programming routine rather than the actual physical layout. Rather than implementing a program to run on a processor, for example, a chip may process a program to build the processor.
In view of the foregoing developments in nanotechnology and the need for reconfigurable architectures it is believed that one solution toward creating such technology involves the implementation of generic self-assembling nanotechnology logic gate components and systems, of which none are known to have been successfully implemented in commercial electronics. A universal logic gate is therefore disclosed herein, which solves this increasing need and can be fabricated with modern fabrication processes.